Coaster wagon



Feb.'3, 1959 J, A. WADDELL 2,872,205

COASTER WAGON Fi led Dec. 12, 1956 INVENTiI.

James A.Wodde|l United States Patent COASTER WAGON James A. Waddell,Royal Oak, Mich.

Application December 12, 1956, Serial No. 627304 1 Claim. (Cl. 28087.01)

This invention relates generally to the class of wheeled vehicles and isdirected particularly to improvements in body structures for the same.

The new and improved vehicle body structure of the present invention isdesigned primarily for coaster wagons. small and light articlesconventionally embody a bottom surrounded by an upstanding wall and thebody is mounted directly upon supporting bolsters which, in turn, aremounted on wheel supported axles. In such conventional wagon structures,the supporting wheels are disposed outside of the width of the body. isstraight on its two sides or, in other words, is of the same width fromfront to rear.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novelcoaster wagon body wherein the sides are formed in a new way tofacilitate the carrying of wide baskets or objects and the maintenanceof the same against shifting lengthwise of the body.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new coasterwagon body and under carriage structure wherein the body is designed tocooperate with the under carriage structure in such a manner as to coverthe supporting wheels.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description of the same proceeds and the invention will be bestunderstood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of thespecification with the understanding that the invention is not confinedto a strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may bechanged or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark nomaterial departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view in top plan of the new body structure of the presentinvention, which view may also be described as a top plan view of acoaster wagon having a body structure designed in accordance with theinventron;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a coaster wagon having the presentimproved body structure; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line33 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the present new andnovel wagon body is generally designated 10. This body is here shown asbeing formed in one piece or from a single piece of material which maybe sheet metal of desired weight and rigidity or any other materialsuitable for such use. When formed of sheet metal in one piece, it wilbe seen that the body may be shaped and formed by stamping. However, itis within the purview of the present invention to form the new bodystructure in more than one piece or section if this may ,be foundpreferable.

The body structure will be described as comprising Coaster wagons suchas are used for hauling Also, the body 2,872,205 Patented Feb. 3, 1959 asingle sheet of material and, accordingly, the numeral 12 designates thebottom or floor of the body which is of generally elongate rectangularform and has each of its longitudinal sides provided at spaced locationswith the outwardly extending portions or areas 14. These portions orareas 14 are illustrated as bowed or arcuate and the two areas on eachside of the body are separated by a straight side portion 16 of thebottom or floor 12. Also,

on each side of the body the outwardly extending portions or areas 14are separated by the shorter side portions 18 of the bottom from theadjacent straight transverse front and back edges, 20 and21respectively.

The bottom or floor 12 is enclosed by the upstanding side wall 22 whichis here shown as being continuous with the bottom and, therefore, itembodies the vertical front and back portions 23 and 24 respectivelywhich border the edges 20 and 21 and the front, rear and intermediateupstanding portions 25, 26 and 27 respectively. The center orintermediate portions are joined with the adjacent front and rearportions 25 and 26 by the upstanding outwardly bowed portions 28 each ofwhich, of course, follows the contour of theouter edge of an outwardlyprojecting part or area 14 as will be readily apparent.

.the oppositeside of the body and the bow or curvature of the twoopposite areas 14 and wall portions 28 thereof are struck from the sameradius point so that they form opposite parts of an imaginary circle.Consequently this imaginary circle may receive the bottom portion of aconventional circular basket, such as the well known bushel basketswhich are commonly used for marketing fruits and vegetables and whichare subsequently commonly used by housewives and other persons fortransporting their marketing purchases. It will be seen from this thatwhen the wagon is used for carrying receptacles of this type, they willstay in place in the wagon body on the bottom or floor 12, eventhoughthe body may be tipped or inclined as would be the case in going up anddown very steep grades or raising the wheels of the wagon over curbs andthe like.

The top edge of the wall 22 of the body may be provided with a suitablerim as indicated at 29 which gives a finished appearance to the body aswill be readily apparent and has other advantages, one of which is-thatwhere the body is formed of sheet metal, such a rim may be in the formof a rolled bead and will materially stiffen or strengthen the sidewall.

It will be understood, of course, that the new and novel body structureof the present invention may be mounted upon any desired carriagestructure but by placing the body upon a carriage structure proportionedas about to be described with relation to the width of the body, certaindesirable advantages are attained.

The carriage structure here illustrated comprises a rear bolster ofconventional form which is designated 30 and which is of approximatelyU-shape and embodies two side legs 31, each of which is riveted orotherwise suitably secured at its top end to the underside of the bottomof the body 12 as indicated at 32 and between the lower ends of the legs31 a transverse axle 33 is mounted upon the ends of which are rotatablymounted the rear Wheels 34.

The front portion of the carriage structure comprises a similarly formedU-shaped bolster which is generally designated 35, having the upstandingside legs 36 which are riveted as indicated at 37 to the bottom 12 andthe lower ends of the legs are connected by the cross bar 38. Disposedagainst the underside of the cross bar 38 is the conventional fifthwheel 39 which is pivotally connected as at 40 to the center of thebolster bar 38. This fifth bowed walls "28 form a part.

wheel is also in the form of a flat bar of approximately the same lengthas the bar 38 and has downturned bearing arms 41 through which extendthe ends of the front axle 42 and thisaxle carries on its outer ends thefront wheels 43.

The numeral 44 generally designates the draft tongue which is attachedin conventional manner by the outer ends of a coupling fork '45 to the,front axle 42.

imaginary circle hereinbeforereferred to and which the oppositeoutwardly extendingportions 14 and outwardly Thus it will be seen thatwhen the rear and front bolsters are disposed in these planes the rearand front wheels will lie beneath the outwardlyextending portions 14.

Wagons of the character here described are also quite commonlylused bychildren for riding, the practice being tokneel on one leg in the wagonupon the bottom 12 and use the foot of the other leg to propel the wagonalong.

By the provision of the upstanding portions of the wagon body and thedisposition of the Wheels of the underlying carriage structure in themanner illustrated, it will be apparent that when the wagon is used inthis manner, the danger of the childs clothing becoming entangled in thewheels or the danger of the child suffering injury through striking theouter leg against one of the wheels is eliminated.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there is provided by thepresent invention a new andnovel wagon body structure and over all a newandnovel coaster wagon having very desirable advantageous features.

I claim:

A wagon. structure of the character described comprising an elongatesubstantially rectangular bottom and an upstanding wall integral withthe periphery of the bottom, said bottom including at each longitudinalside at "projecting portions on one side being opposite to the outwardlyprojecting portions at the other side and said wall being contoured tofollow the contour of said outwardly projecting portions, and a carriagestructure comprising a rear bolster, a transverse axle and wheels on theaxle and a forward bolster, an axle and wheels on the latter axle, saidWheels being disposed beneath and inwardly of the outer sides of theoutermost portions and the wall forming a part thereof, the saidoutwardly projecting portions and the contoured portions of the Wallbeing adapted to receive .portions of opposite sides of a circularbasket or the like and cooperating to provide longitudinally spacedenlarged areas for receiving such baskets or the like between theopposite sides of the wall whereby such objects are held againstshifting their position, the outwardly projecting portions at the sidesof the body and the portions of the Wall bordering the same beingoutwardly bowed and of semi-circular form with the curvature of the bowsof the oppositely positioned portions being struck from a common centerlocated in the longitudinal center of the bottom, said forward bolsterbeing pivotally mounted about a vertical axis directly below the centerof curvature of the forwardly disposed outwardly projectingportions withthe Wheels thereof lying along opposite sides of said bottom, and theradius of curvature of said forwardly disposed outwardly projectingportions being such as to elfect longitudinal lengths of saidoutwardlyprojecting portions which are greater than the diameter of said forwardwheels whereby as the ,forwardbolster is swiveled for steering purposes,the

wheels thereof are maintained in underlying relationship to saidforwardly disposed outwardly projecting portions.

References-Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.94,975 Kraeft Mar. 26, 1935 D. 108,232 'Garton Feb. 1, 1938 1,923,049Blackmore Aug. 15, 1933 2,077,543 Barthel Apr. 20, 1937

